It's no secret

...that attending post-secondary can be very costly.  The good news is that you are likely eligible for scholarships and bursaries that can help offset your expenses.  In fact, diligent students may find that their scholarships cover all of their costs.  

Let's do the math: 

Let's say a $2000 scholarship requires an essay of 800 - 1000 words.  You estimate from start to finish, the process of writing it,  rewriting it, asking a parent or teacher to edit, revising it, and then submitting the application will take 10 hours.  Is it worth it?  YES!!!  If you are selected, that works out to being paid $200/hour!  You would need to work 133 hours at a minimum wage job to earn $2000 before taxes are deducted.

Post-secondary education is costly

In 2020, tuition at UVic was $6550 for 2 semesters of schooling.  The average undergraduate degree takes 4 years to complete.  Now add in the cost of living.  It adds up quickly.    

Be strategic

Typically, the easier the application, the more applicants there are.  Time consuming scholarship applications (like the ones that require essays) have fewer applicants.  If your time is limited, it is more strategic to spend time on fewer time-consuming applications than several quick applications.  As well, scholarships with lower values (under $500) are often overlooked by applicants.  Applying for several smaller scholarships and bursaries may be more beneficial than focusing on ones with larger values.

Grades are important but service to your community and leadership skills are even more important

You don't need exceptional grades to qualify.  Of course, good grades always help.  But, other factors are important as well.  These can include your involvement in your community, your abilities (artistic, athletic, and leadership to name a few), who you are related to (many workplaces offer scholarships to children of employees), your level of financial need, and luck (ex: random draw). Most application based scholarships are looking to reward good citizens and leaders.  If you volunteer in your community, be sure to include this information in your applications.   

How do I start?